BBMP to initiate an encroachment-removal drive against the conversion of basements into commercial spaces

 BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike  (BBMP) has decided to initiate an encroachment-removal drive from the first week of January, against the building owners who have converted their basements into commercial spaces.

BBMP commissioner N Manjunath Prasad has already directed his team. The drive will also be covering footpath encroachments. On Saturday, Prasad had a meeting with the police commissioner T Suneel Kumar and additional commissioner of police (traffic) Harishekaran on the issue.

Confirming the development, Prasad had said: “I have issued directions to all zonal joint commissioners and chief engineers to draw up a plan of action to remove footpath encroachments and to ensure basement parking is being used for the right purpose, as per the sanctioned plan. We won’t allow basement parking to be used for commercial or other activities as that is forcing motorists to park vehicles on roads, leading to congestion and inconveniencing the public. The BBMP and police will coordinate the drive from the first week of January.”

The BBMP chief said that he has told the officials to verify all commercial establishments which have been illegally converted as their basement parking areas for commercial activities and also identify pavements which have been encroached.

Recently, the BBMP officials had already started initiating action in areas like Indiranagar, Jayanagar, Malleswaram, Sadashiv Nagar and Koramangala as a few restaurants, shops and pubs which had converted their basement parking lots for their commercial activities.

Another BBMP officer said that though the Karnataka Municipal Act empowers the officials to act against such violators, the local corporators and the political interference will be holding them back.